Politics and Culture

April 20, 2017

Traveling to an Israeli hospital for treatment

Two sisters tried to smuggle explosives into Israel from Gaza using tubes labeled for medication, taking advantage of an entry permit issued for one of them to seek cancer treatment, Israeli officials said Wednesday.

The Shin Bet security service, which said it foiled the smuggling attempt at the Erez Crossing earlier in the day, accused the two of aiding terror activity at the behest of the Hamas terror group.

The explosives were “sent by Hamas and it is believed that they were meant to be used to carry out attacks in Israel in the near future,” the Shin Bet said in a statement.

According to the security agency, the explosives were hidden inside tubes labeled “medical materials.” It said the materials were to be used to manufacture improvised explosive devices.

The sisters, both residents of Gaza, received permits to enter Israel as one of them suffers from cancer and was traveling to an Israeli hospital for treatment.